


harmony to the melody

by orphan_account



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Angst, Ashlyn has a gay crisis, Cute but mostly angst, F/F, Unrequited Crush, these two are so underrated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 09:10:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21491866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Saying the words out loud, singing them, felt too personal. This all felt too real.[Or: Ashlyn has a gay crisis]
Relationships: Ashlyn Caswell/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	harmony to the melody

“Ashlyn,” EJ moved his hand in front of the screen, waving it around. Ashlyn blinked, staring down at her phone with a dazed look.

“Are you listening?” He asked, tilting his head, a smile splayed out across his face.

“Huh?” She mumbled because she wasn't listening. “Of course I was.”

“You weren't but it's okay,” EJ laughed slightly. “Is everything okay?” No it wasn't okay, she thought. Because her cousin was now dating Nini Salazar-Roberts. The girl she’s been crushing on since freshman year. The girl with the bright eyes and sunshine smile. Ashlyn really wished she had been able to go to that theatre camp.

“Yeah, I'm fine,” She smiled. She wasn't fine. “Look, go have fun, I'll talk to you later?”

“Yeah, of course!” EJ nodded. “See you.”

“See you,” Ashlyn muttered, ending the call and shutting off her phone. Luckily no one was home to listen to her scream into her pillow.

* * *

“Hey Ashlyn!” Nini Salazar-Roberts grinned at her, rushing over with a bright grin.

“Oh,” Ashlyn shifted uncomfortably, looking at Nini with a small smile regardless of whatever she was feeling internally. “Hey, Nini! What's up?”

“Do you want to practice again?” Nini asked, this time more unsure. She shifted, turning away slightly and keeping her eyes on the floor. That was strange, Ashlyn thought. Lately, since she'd gone to theatre camp and started dating her cousin, Nini had been a lot more confident. She held herself differently than before. Even though her cousin was a big part of the fact, Ashlyn still found it endearing. She loved watched Nini come more out of her shell and be confident with herself. It was probably one of the only aspects of her dating her cousin that she really loved.

“Practice?” Ashlyn tilted her head. “Why?”

“Because it was fun,” Nini shrugged, but something about the way she said the words seemed off.

“Our characters don't even have any one on one scenes together,” Ashlyn frowned slightly.

“Then it'll be like… a vocal warm up!” Nini held onto her backpack straps and smiled with probably the cutest smile ever. Ashlyn was going to scream.

“Why?” Ashlyn questioned because she was pretty sure the only reason Nini wanted to spend time with her was because she was dating her cousin. It was one of those torturous things that made you hate everything but feel so elated all at once.

“I like singing with you,” Nini smiled. Why was she smiling so much? Can she stop smiling for a minute? Ashlyn sighed.

“Sure!” She nodded enthusiastically. Probably a little too enthusiastically. She needed to calm down.

“Okay,” Nini nodded. “I'll meet you at the spot in a few minutes?” Ashlyn nodded, unable to speak. She's always been good with Nini, of course. They'd done theatre together before, and they do talk sometimes. But this was something entirely different. They'd never hung out together, just the two of them, and now everything seemed all flipped upside down. Ashlyn felt like she was losing her mind.

* * *

It was weird being on stage with just Nini. Just being alone with her was weird enough, but sitting next to her on a piano seat was really nerve racking.

“Do you have a song in mind?” Ashlyn asked, sliding next to Nini on the bench.

“Yeah!” Nini leaned over, shuffling through her backpack. Ashlyn looked down at her hair falling around her face before turning away, her face heating.

“Here,” Nini slid over the song. “It's from the second movie but I thought it'd be a good vocal warm up.” Ashlyn stared down at the song, glad the room was dark. Her face was so hot right now.

“Uh… great,” She coughed awkwardly, placing the music down and looking at the piano. “How about you start and I'll join in?”

“That sounds great!” Nini nodded, clearing her voice and waiting for the piano to start.

“_Na na na na. Na na na na na, yeah,_” Nini started out a little shakily. “_You are the music in me_.” Ashlyn stared down at her fingers as she played.

“Y_ou know the words ‘once upon a time _ ,’” She sung. “_Make you listen, there's a reason._”

“_When you dream there's a chance you'll find. __A little laughter, or happy ever after._” Ashlyn watched her sing out of the corner of her before joining in.

“_You're a harmony to the melody. That's echoing inside my head. A single voice. Single voice. Above the noise. And like a common thread. Hmm, you're pulling me,_” The words made Ashlyn’s stomach twist and flip. Nini was so close. She was so close and her voice was so nice. She was so nice.

“_When I hear my favorite song,_” Ashlyn stared at Nini as she sang. “_I know that we belong, _”

  
“_Oh, you are the music in me_,” Nini stared back at her. “_Yeah, it's living in all of us. _”

  
“A_nd it's brought us here because,_” They were staring at each other. Full eye contact. “_Because you are the music in me.” _

“_Na na na na. Oh. Na na na na. yeah yeah yeah. Na na na na, _ ” She wasn't really paying attention to the song anymore, her full attention focused onto Nini and the look in her eyes as she sang. It was absolutely mesmerizing. “_You are the music in me _.”

“_Na na na na. Oh yeah. Na na na na. Oh yeah.Na na na na, _ ” Her mouth felt really dry. She thought about getting up and running out of the room but she couldn't. The air felt electric. “_You are the music in me. _”

“_When I hear my favorite song. Favorite song, _ ” Saying the words out loud, singing them, felt too personal. This all felt too real. “_I know that we belong. We belong. _”

  
“_Oh, you are the music in me. Yeah. It's living in all of us, _ ” Nini was shifting closer, her hand in between them and her eyes sparkling. “ _ It's brought us here because. Here because. _ _   
_ _ You are the music in me _.”

“_Na na na na. Ohh. Oh yeah. Na na na na. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Na na na, _” Ashlyn’s hands shook slightly as she played the keys.

“Y_ou are the music in me, _” Ashlyn whispered.

“You know you have an amazing voice,” Nini spoke, startling the other girl. Ashlyn jumped slightly, turning back to her.

“Oh, thanks,” She was looking at her with so much… so much emotion. She couldn't quite tell the emotion but she was happy.

“Really,” Nini smiled. “I love your voice.” What Ashlyn was going to say back to that was too dangerous so she stayed silent. Everyone of her thoughts was dangerous right now. She kind of wanted to kiss her which is obviously the worst possible thought she could have. She had a boyfriend. That boyfriend was her cousin. She was a terrible person for even thinking about kissing her.

“Thank you,” Ashlyn murmured softly.

“Uh-huh!” Nin grinned before sliding off the bench. “See you later?”

“Uh,” Ashlyn swallowed. “Yeah!”

“Looking forward to it,” Nini grinned before dashing away. For a second Ashlyn didn't think about the fact that she was probably going to go hang out with EJ. She thought about a pretty set of eyes and a beautiful smile. God, she was so fucked. But at least she had a good voice.

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh I don't really know what this is I wrote it in class, but I hope y'all liked it! :)
> 
> tumblr: cyrushack


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